“Why You Gotta Be So Extra?!”
“Push yourself…go an extra mile…there’s always someone working a little harder than you, so be that person that’s working harder.”
Quote source:
Conversations with Danielle Brooks (SAG-AFTRA Foundation) (Youtube published date 5/9/16)
Stock photo source: lattices.com
Have you ever gone the extra mile for someone? Some years back there was a terrible snow storm and it seemed like the aftermath was worse than the storm. There was so much snow to shovel up. After shoveling myself out, I went inside to rest and thought about my aunt who was out of town. I thought, “she’s not going to be back for a few days, by that time the snow will be extra hard and heavy and almost impossible to shovel up.” I decided to literally go a few miles up the road to shovel her driveway and walk-way. It was the least I could do especially with all the countless things she has done for me over the years. A few days later when she returned, she was expecting to dig herself out after hearing about the storm. She was surprised to find her driveway free and clear. She asked a few neighbors if they had done it but no one knew anything. After she put two and two together, she figured out that it was me. Although a small gesture, she was very grateful and my heart was gladdened that I was able to make her night a little bit easier, especially after a long car ride home.
Although it is not really necessary to go the extra mile, it can definitely be beneficial to not only others but ourselves. First and foremost, it is just a good gesture. Going the extra mile means that awe are being kind and empathetic and that is always the right thing to do. It goes hand in hand with the saying “treat others in the way that you would like to be treated.” It also helps to build relationships with others. Who knows when and if going the extra mile for someone will be returned. Now granted, we don’t do things expecting something in return, however, it is always nice to have an unexpected blessing from someone going the extra mile for us based on the relationship that we have cultivated previous by doing the same. Going the extra mile is also good because we set an example and encourage others to do the same, it means that we put forth excellence in everything that we do which is a great characteristic to have.
When we go the extra mile, we rid the opportunity of laziness which makes room for the possibilities of greatness to be consistent in our lives. The majority of people, including us at times just do the necessary things in our jobs, our day to day lives and even for others, however, when we make going the extra mile a habit in our lives then it truly separated us from the average and gives us a better reputation then most which can benefit us in the long run, not only with relationships, but also with the opportunities that will come our way.
Going the extra mile for someone else is rewarding for our own selves because it just makes us feel good knowing that we did our very best in either a task or for someone else and it also puts good energy out. As author Israelmore Ayivor states, “everybody is standing, but you must stand out. Everybody is breaking grounds, but you must breakthrough! Everybody is scratching it, but you must scratch it hard! Everybody is going, but you must keep going extra miles! Dare to be exceptionally excellent and why not?”